Prevention of Fatty Liver in Transition Dairy Cows by Subcutaneous Injections of Glucagon

• Published in: Journal of dairy science 2006-05, Vol.89 (5), p.1533-1545
• Main Authors: Nafikov, R. A, Ametaj, B. N, Bobe, G, Koehler, K. J, Young, J. W, Beitz, D. C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3-hydroxybutyric acid; Acetoacetates - urine; Animal productions; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; blood glucose; Blood Glucose - analysis; blood lipids; Blood Urea Nitrogen; Body Composition; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - prevention & control; Cholesterol - analysis; disease prevention; early lactation; Eating; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified - blood; Fatty Liver - prevention & control; Fatty Liver - veterinary; Female; Food industries; free fatty acids; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glucagon - administration & dosage; Injections, Subcutaneous; insulin; Insulin - blood; Lactation; Lipids - analysis; Liver - chemistry; Milk - chemistry; Milk and cheese industries. Ice creams; Nitrogen - analysis; Phospholipids - analysis; Postpartum Period; Terrestrial animal productions; Triglycerides - analysis; urea; Urea - chemistry; Vertebrates
• ISSN: 0022-0302; 1525-3198
• DOI: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(06)72221-4

The main objective of this study was to test the extent to which injecting glucagon subcutaneously for 14 d beginning at d 2 postpartum would prevent fatty liver development in transition dairy cows. Twenty-four multiparous Holstein cows were fed 6 kg of cracked corn in addition to their standard diet during the last 30 d of a dry period to induce postpartum development of fatty liver. Glucagon at either 7.5 or 15 mg/d or saline (control) was injected subcutaneously 3 times daily for 14 d beginning at d 2 postpartum. Glucagon at 15 mg/ d prevented liver triacylglycerol accumulation in postpartum dairy cows. Glucagon at 7.5 mg/d showed potential for fatty liver prevention. Glucagon increased concentration of plasma glucose and insulin and decreased plasma nonesterified fatty acid concentrations. No effects of glucagon were detected on plasma {szligbeta}-hydroxybutyrate concentrations. Glucagon affected neither feed intake nor milk production. Moreover, milk composition was not altered by glucagon. Milk urea N concentrations decreased, and plasma urea N concentrations tended to decrease during glucagon administration, indicating that glucagon may improve protein use. Liver glycogen concentrations were not affected by glucagon. No significant differences in body condition scores were detected among treatments throughout the study. These results indicate that subcutaneous glucagon injections can prevent fatty liver in transition dairy cows without causing major production and metabolite disturbances.